From Out of the Darkness
by kazalene
Summary: E/C. It had been hard at first, but he had discovered something that helped him to get through the day. Their photo album; a visual novel of moments they'd shared, experiences they'd had, places they'd been... a story of them. Fluffy and Angsty. Chp8 up.
1. Wordless and Secret

For those of you who are aware of that authors project that I've been dabbling in, it's well and truly started and the first chapter will be up next Wednesday. We want to keep a chapter ahead so that we can be sure that the plot we've come up with doesn't turn out to be some utter disaster - which I'm hoping it won't!

But anyway, after being hit badly with a case of writer's block, this idea randomly popped into my mind as I was about to fall asleep tonight. So of course I had to abandon that plan and type it up.

So here we are, hot off the press; the first chapter of a new story. (And one which I'm not 100 percent sure where it's going... but then when am I ever? :P)

Enjoy! x

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**Wordless and Secret...**

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Eric was used to looking at photographs; his job demanded it. They detailed the process of examining a crime scene, the position of vital pieces of evidence, allowed him to notice things that he maybe hadn't before…

But most importantly, each and every one told a story. And it didn't have to be a crime scene photograph to do that.

Take, for example, the one that he was currently studying. It was a picture of Calleigh, her face turned away from the camera, her gaze instead transfixed on an invisible point in the darkening sky, her hair blowing in the gentle breeze as she lost herself to her thoughts.

He smiled when he remembered that she hadn't even been aware that he had taken it. They had gone for a walk that evening. Hadn't said much, had merely walked in a comfortable silence; words were never necessary between them. So much so, that they had both silently agreed that the walk had signaled the beginning. '_The beginning of us,'_ Eric smiled.

He ran a lazy finger across the photograph and he sighed wistfully at the memory. Calleigh was the only person with whom he could communicate so much with a look or a touch. She _got_ him, just as he did her.

Conventional couples would probably have needed the relationship talk, the one that slapped a giant stamp across them, branding them with the word, _dating._ But then they weren't conventional, were in fact the furthest thing from it. They had danced around their feelings for far too long, been aware of them for even longer, and all that had been necessary was a simple gesture. Or a simple moment that somehow conveyed everything they had, made a beautiful and silent statement of acceptance and held the promise of a future; this was the photograph that had captured it…

**_/EC/_**

_The sky was a darkening silver, with a fringe of slate coloured clouds slowly making their journey across it. And Calleigh read the signs immediately._

_"It's going to rain," she murmured, gesturing towards the heavens. She felt him nod beside her and continued to watch as the storm clouds rolled in, a light and ominous breeze tugging playfully at her person._

_"You can smell it on the wind, too," she heard Eric say. "Air smells damp."_

_With a smile she turned back to face him, and wordlessly slipped her hand through his. He instinctively entwined their fingers and she gazed down at the contact, a slight shiver running through her that she knew wasn't just the result of the breeze._

_"You wanna head home?" he asked, gesturing to the sky._

_She merely smiled and shook her head. It was odd, but she found storms calming. There was something about the way the air rested after a heavy downpour and how clear the sky was left; the way it carried on with a sunny smile after what would be the human counterpart of depositing some great emotion._

_And if it were anyone but Eric, she'd feel a little silly about what her mind was thinking; that the approaching storm was _**_their _**_storm_**_._**_ Coming to wash away the baggage, the complications, the excuses, the fears… until all that was left was them. Each other. Together._

_But that was exactly how she felt, and she gave his hand a slight squeeze as her heart warmed to the idea. She felt him reciprocate the gesture and she flashed him a smile before she pulled away, moving to settle herself against a railing that offered a view of the city. They were in a park, one that was situated on a slope and traced the outline of Miami. She could see skyscrapers, the ocean, boats, cars, lights... everything. All of it set against the backdrop of the unsettled sky._

_As the first rumble of thunder reverberated about, Eric reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone; realising how surprisingly perfect the moment was. How significant it was. And he wanted to capture it, store it away forever. So with a quick press of a button he did so, smiling when he noticed that he'd managed to catch Calleigh in there too; looking natural and strong, ready to weather whatever came her way._

_She didn't have to wait long when with a thunderous bolt of lightning, the clouds gave up their battle and the rain began to fall. He moved through the sheets of water and came to rest next to her, neither of them saying anything as the storm raged across the city. But when he felt her shiver, he shifted his position so that he was behind her and gently drew her back against his chest; donating her his warmth. She leant into him willingly, otherwise unfazed by the elements._

_He seemed to recognise her desire to stay here, and she smiled as he kissed the rain from her hair, only for a new shimmery coat of droplets to form almost immediately. The minutes continued to tick by, only interrupted occasionally by a flash of lightning or the retaliation of the thunder._

_But then his senses returned. And realising that they were in serious danger of catching colds, he gently spun her round and reached for her hand, silently informing her that it was time to go. She smiled back at him for a moment, before she eventually nodded and after a final lingering glance over the railing, she allowed him to walk her back to the Hummer._

**_/EC/_**

They were well and truly soaked by the time he got her home, Eric remembered. Luckily, however, he'd brought a change of clothes.

He laughed when he remembered her coy comment, _"Well, someone thought they were getting lucky."_

That really hadn't been the case, though. He always kept spare clothes in the Hummer; crime scenes had an unfortunate habit of being messy. She'd laughed when he'd told her so and offered him a towel, directing him towards the bathroom so that he could change.

The rest of the night had been spent talking, laughing, joking… not about anything important mind, just silly things; topics that really had no relevance at all...

**_/EC/_**

_She watched as he absent-mindedly flicked through her music collection with - for the most part - an agreeable smile. Occasionally he grimaced and raised his eyebrows at her, letting her know that she should be embarrassed by some of the stuff she had. But she just rolled her eyes and swatted playfully at his chest, telling him that he probably had equally awful music at his house._

_"There's nothing bad about ABBA, Calleigh," he said with mock sincerity; feigning hurt when she responded with a laugh. "They've created some real anthems you know."_

_"Shut up!" she giggled, reaching for her mug on the coffee table._

_He smiled and continued to search through her albums, and she groaned when he found perhaps her most uncharacteristic one."Celine Dione?" he grinned, holding up said album. "I never pictured you as the type."_

_"I'm female, Eric," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's genetic!"_

_"To like Celine Dione?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in the process._

_"Well, what can I say?" She shrugged. "We all have our Bridget Jones moments."_

_She threw a cushion his way when he began to laugh, before he eventually composed himself and held her gaze with somewhat sincerity. "Does that include giant panties and bunny girl outfits?" he managed to say, before the laughter began again._

_"Funny," she shot back, "too bad you won't ever find out."_

**_/EC/_**

He had, though. Not that night; it had been too soon. But he'd later discovered that Calleigh took the 'less-is-more' approach when it came to underwear; something that he'd certainly had no qualms about. As for the bunny outfits, well, he was still working on that one. Although, he had a sneaky suspicion that if he ever bought her one, she'd fire a bullet that actually **would** kill him.

_'It could still be fun to try, however,' _he thought with a smirk.

"But you need to wake up first," he whispered gently to the sleeping form in front of him; his smirk being replaced by a soft frown when he received no response. It had been like this for eight days now, ever since...

She'd been on her way to a suspect's house and had literally just stepped out of her Hummer when she'd caught sight of another car speeding down the road. There had been a young girl directly in its path and Calleigh had instinctively pushed her out of the way, allowing her own body to take the full impact. He'd been angry with her when Horatio had told him the news, angry that she had put her own life on the line to save someone else - he'd been selfish.

But slowly, after the anger had melted away, he'd felt proud of her. Because that was who she was, "Always trying to save and help people," he breathed, reaching down to brush her perfect hair off her perfect face; there wasn't a scratch on her.

Her injuries had been internal, and the doctors had managed to stabilise her. But she had slipped into a coma after the surgery. Apparently it was common for it to happen after incidents of severe trauma; almost as if the body shocks itself into an extended period of rest...

She would wake up, though. She had to. It was Calleigh; brave and strong. A fighter.

It was just a waiting game.

And one that had been hard at first - although he'd be lying if he said that it still wasn't - but he had discovered something that helped him to get through the day. Their photo album; a visual novel of moments they'd shared, experiences they'd had, places they'd been to...

A story of _them._

It was a perfect way of detailing their relationship; wordless and secret. Full of simple images to an outsider, but a deep and emotional story to them.

So after placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, he sat himself down in the chair beside her hospital bed and turned the page, an instant smile breaking his mouth when he saw what it was.

As the memory swept through his mind, his pain was temporarily placed in suspension. Because he often found that the good memories were the things that got you through the rough times.

And this next photograph had captured one of the best...

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Please keep in mind that this was a midnight/3am type up from me. Unfortunately my brain likes to work at the most inconvenient times. But I think I know where to go with it.

And hey, I have to get my inspiration from somewhere, right?

Reviews very much appreciated :D


	2. All That You Can't Leave Behind

Sorry for not keeping up my usual quick posting, the writer's block came back. But I think I might have managed to shake it for a while :P

So here you go.

Enjoy!

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**All That You Can't Leave Behind...**

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It had been a simple moment, and one that still made him smile. It was a picture of him, lying on his back in her garden. Shirt unbuttoned, hands behind his head; asleep. And Calleigh had seen the photo opportunity and taken it.

Her garden was perfect for moments like this one; private and quiet - save from the sound of the birds as they sang in the trees - and he found himself laughing when he remembered how she always used to check the spot that they sat in for ants. She'd inspected four areas before this photograph had been taken, and she still hadn't been satisfied when Eric had grown impatient and pulled her down with him; he'd managed to silence her protests, however... he _always _knew how to.

They'd spent many lazy Sundays like this, just content to sit with one another; just to _be_ with each other. But this particular afternoon was the one that stood out from all of them...

_**/EC/**_

_He woke to the sound of a camera shutter and groaned when he realised that Calleigh had just taken a snap-shot of his snooze time. _

_"Eric!" Calleigh laughed as he attempted to pull the camera from her grasp._

_"You get that you just violated a privacy law, right?" he grinned back, still trying to snatch at her hand._

_She rolled her eyes and pushed herself out of his reach, "What's the matter? Scared I didn't get your best side?" she teased._

_He laughed and after another failed attempt to grab the camera, he caught her by surprise and reached for her hips, lifting her on top of him. "I don't have a best side," he smirked, "all of me is hot."_

_"You sure about that?" Calleigh asked, arching an eyebrow; watching his hands as he began to run them down the tops of her arms... until he suddenly sat up and snaked his arms around her waist, placing a gentle kiss on her stomach. _

_"Absolutely," he breathed against her, moving up to her neck..._

**/EC/**

But the moment had been broken - as always - by a phone. That time it had been his and she'd forced him to answer it. He smiled when he remembered that she never could stand the sound of an unanswered cell. It was the way that it wouldn't stop ringing; musically screaming for someone to pick it up and say something.

So he had reluctantly answered it and leant back down on the grass, listening to his mother's voice. And Eric frowned when he realised that he had no idea what the call had been about; _'probably some kind of lecture about why he hadn't come over for Sunday lunch,'_ he grinned. What he did remember, however, was Calleigh's smile as she'd sat in his lap, gazing down at the digital display of the camera; staring at the photo that she'd just taken.

It was that smile that he loved so much. The cute but oh-so-coy one that never failed to drive him crazy, and he'd reached up to run his fingers through her hair; bringing her gaze back to his; rolling his eyes at her as his mother had continued to talk.

Calleigh had simply laughed and whispered, _"Tell her I say hi." _And with that, she'd shifted her position to lay down beside him as he'd slipped his arm behind her head.

It hadn't really differed from a normal Sunday when Eric thought about it. But when he'd finally managed to end the phone call, Calleigh had triggered a chain of events and created one of their best memories. It had been the first time that they'd said it...

_**/EC/**_

_She watched as he shut his phone and tossed it to one side, her fingers unconsciously playing with the camera. And as he turned his head to look at her to flash her a playful grin, she reached out to trace his smile._

_"How's the family?" she murmured softly._

_"They're good." He nodded as he caught her hand and began to play with her fingers; causing her other hand to drop the camera. They both ignored it, however, and he continued, "My dad's heading out to Russia next week."_

_Calleigh rolled over then and propped herself up on one elbow. "Is everything okay?" she asked, a little concerned._

_"Yeah," Eric smiled, "he goes once every year to visit some relatives." He watched as she relaxed once more and he took a moment to steal a glance at her. _

_She had a sense of peace about her as she tugged lazily at the grass - so much so, that she didn't even notice the tiny ant that was slowly creeping its way towards her. But before she could, he swatted it away and feigned it off as a stretch; knowing that if he told her what he'd done he'd have to endure another ten minutes of finding an ant-free spot. _

_"Have you ever been?" Calleigh suddenly asked._

_"To Russia?" Eric frowned; continuing when she nodded, "Uh, no."_

_"You know the language, though..." she murmured, remembering hearing him interrogate a suspect once. And then with _**_that_**_ smile, she pushed herself up and settled back down in Eric's lap. Her fingers began to trace the lines of his chest until she heard him speak again._

_"I'm a bit rusty," he sighed, bringing his hands behind his head. He shot her a mock glare when she arched an eyebrow, "Rusty at speaking Russian, Cal!" And as she began to laugh, he pulled her flat against his chest and rolled them over; his body now on top of hers. "What, you don't remember last night?" he whispered._

_She grinned up at him and shrugged. "I think you're going to have to remind me," she breathed against his mouth; stopping his movement to kiss her with her hand. He frowned down at her and she laughed again. "Tell me something in Russian."_

_"Like what?"_

_"Anything."_

_He stared at her for a moment, silently searching for some inspiration, and his face broke out into a smile when he realised that he had the perfect thing to say. "Ya tebya lyublyu." He laughed when she attempted to repeat it, and he set about correcting her pronunciation. "Ya teb-ya lou-blue." And after the third time of her trying, she finally got it. _

_"What does it mean?" she asked, a little curious about the smile that was currently tugging at his mouth._

_He laughed again and brought his head closer, his breath tickling her face. "You just told me that you love me," he whispered, holding her gaze. _

_Calleigh said nothing for a moment, and he suddenly felt doubt creep in. But as though she sensed his fear, she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yeah, well you said it first."_

_"And I meant it," he breathed before he stole a kiss; just breaking away long enough for her to whisper,_

_"Me too..."_

_**/EC/**_

There was a smile on his face now as the memory died down, and he glanced over at her. She was sleeping away peacefully; silent and unmoving. And it was with a sigh that he reached out for her hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it.

"I'll always mean it," he murmured, "I just wish I knew where you were right now."

"Eric..." a soft voice suddenly called out to him and he couldn't help but feel the sharp stab of disappointment when he realised that it wasn't Calleigh. Horatio must've have seen something in his eyes, too, as he said, "Eric, it will be okay."

He held the lieutenant's gaze for a moment, before he eventually nodded and leant back into his chair, rubbing away the tiredness in his eyes.

"Has there been any change?" Horatio asked, coming to stand on the opposite side of Calleigh's hospital bed. He watched as the other man shook his head and looked down at his lap, his gaze transfixed on something. "What is that?" Horatio murmured, gesturing to the photo album.

"Uh," Eric shut the album quickly, "it's nothing."

But it was _everything_.

Horatio stared at him curiously for a moment, stared at him with that mixture of hesitancy and compassion that he'd only been on the receiving end of once. It had been shortly after Marisol had died and Eric couldn't help but feel a sudden flair up of anger; even when it had been him in the hospital bed, Horatio had never once given him _that_ look; the one of such uncertainty and sadness. And it angered him because Calleigh was going to be okay.

He just wished that everyone else had the same confidence...

"Eric..." Horatio's voice cut in, "Eric how about you go home, okay? Get some sleep."

"I won't be able to," he replied, a little more sharply than was necessary. "I want to be here when she wakes up."

There was that look again. The one of sympathy and even worse, _kindness. _He didn't want it. Didn't need it.

All he wanted was for Calleigh to wake up.

"She wouldn't want you to do this to yourself," Horatio murmured. "You need some rest, Eric, some fresh air. The nurses told me that you haven't left this room once in the past nine hours; not even to take a bathroom break." A silence took hold then and the lieutenant began to fiddle with his shades, hoping that he wasn't going to have to order Eric home.

He'd felt unwelcome as soon as he'd stepped into the room. Ryan had told him that he'd felt it too when he'd popped by earlier in an attempt to drag Eric away. It was almost as if Eric had developed some kind of coping mechanism that denoted that only he should be allowed to sit with Calleigh. That if he left, then she'd never wake up.

"Eric - "

"Horatio, I'm fine!" he snapped. The silence resumed and he took a moment to close his eyes; to collect himself again. "I'm sorry," he breathed, "it's just so - "

"Hard?" Horatio finished. "You just need some rest, Eric. Calleigh would want you to take care of yourself right now." He held the other man's gaze for a moment, trying to get through to the rational part of his mind. And he nearly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Eric nod.

"But you'll stay with her?" he asked suddenly.

"Of course," Horatio smiled. "I'll call if anything happens."

But Eric wasn't looking at the lieutenent. Instead his gaze was back on Calleigh and he reached out to take her hand once more, giving it a gentle squeeze in the hope that she'd squeeze it back.

She didn't, though.

So with a sigh, he released her from his grasp and moved up to her face; gently brushing her cheek with his thumb before he replaced it with his mouth. He pulled back a little to whisper, "Beregi zdorovie, Cal. Take care." And after planting a second gentle kiss on her face, he reached for the photo album and turned back to Horatio.

"Goodbye, Eric," the lieutenant told him firmly.

He merely nodded and after shooting a final lingering glance at Calleigh, he left the room; immediately feeling a sense of loss now that he didn't have her in front of him.

But he still had the photo album.

And as he made his way to the hospital car park, he began to flick through it again; a smile returning to his mouth when he found the next photograph...

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I haven't got any plans for the next couple of days - well, I say that. I should be revising - so I will probably be updating fast. I've got a couple of scenes in my head at the moment and I'm determined to type them up before my muse decides to go AWOL on me again.

Reviews very much appreciated. :D


	3. The Simplest of Gestures

There's been a delay on that project thing. We can't think of a title!

But here you are, Chapter Three of this fic.

Enjoy!

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**The Simplest of Gestures... **

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They had fought that day, Eric remembered, as he settled himself into his Hummer and shut the door; effectively closing himself off from the world. Then with a sigh, he placed the photo album in his lap and gazed down at the open page. He smiled as he studied the photograph. Calleigh was facing the camera, her piercing green eyes informing him that she was _not_ happy. But, for some reason, he loved that glare she had. The one that could probably stun great armies into paralysis, making even the strongest of men turn to mush.

Not him, though. No.

In fact, it always had the opposite effect; it never failed to make him smile. '_W__hich often only served to anger her more,' _Eric smirked, remembering some of _those_ nights.

He hadn't actually meant to take this photograph, though; it had been an accident. He'd been given a new crime scene camera to test out and he'd been having some trouble trying to get the flash to work. He had been so engrossed in his task that he hadn't even heard her come home, and as she'd walked through the living room door he'd inadvertently taken the picture.

Unfortunately for him, it had been after a particularly gruelling shift - she'd had to stay late to help the night team with another case - and she hadn't been in the best of moods...

_**/EC/**_

_Calleigh let out a frustrated sigh as she watched Eric's smile grow. There was a time when her glares used to work, used to cut through him. And she told him so._

_"Well I guess you give me them so often that they've lost all effect," he teased, attempting to lighten the moment. _

_She said nothing, didn't even smile. Instead she removed her gun from her holster and set it down on the table. Hard. He watched her with a frown, but she continued to ignore him and buried her head in her hands, trying to massage away the headache that was slowly creeping in. _

_"Cal, are you - "_

_"I'm fine, Eric," she cut in tightly. If there was one thing that she didn't do, vulnerability was it. Not even in front of him._

_She glanced up when she felt him move towards her and deciding that she really just wanted to be alone right now, she turned and left the room. He followed her, though, followed her into the bathroom and after flipping down the lid of the toilet, he sat himself on it. _

_"You know, I was planning on having a shower," she informed him coldly as she turned it on, before resting herself against the sink, waiting for the water to reach the right temperature._

_"Nothing I haven't seen before," he replied, matching her tone. _

_There was that glare again. And despite himself, he felt the corners of his mouth turn up. She swallowed and looked away, clearly struggling to keep her emotions in check. He knew her anger wasn't because of him, however; he just happened to be there. Most men would probably have run right from the very first icy stare, but Eric knew better. He knew she needed to vent and even though it was never easy getting her to do so, he always managed to push her just that little bit too far..._

_Calleigh sighed and stuck her hand under the shower, testing the water. It was still far too hot, but she felt that she'd probably be grateful for it; it would give her a chance to feel something different to that undercurrent of anger that was coursing through her right now. It wasn't Eric's fault, she was just... tired. And stressed. And, if she was honest, it was probably a little bit of the PMT..._

_But still, she couldn't shake away the many unfounded thoughts of hurting him."Could you leave? I don't want you in here," she told him curtly._

_"No," he replied simply, keeping his voice level. _

_She held his gaze for a moment, her now useless glare being replaced by a look of determination. "I don't want you in here," she repeated. He laughed and stood up, his palms finding the sink on either side of her waist. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she suddenly flared; that simple manoeuvre of Eric's getting the better of her. _

_"I can't believe you didn't hear the deafening irony in that question, Cal!" he shot back, moving his body closer; pressing his chest against hers. He felt her inhale and exhale a few times, gathering her strength before she erupted. But before she had a chance to blow, he did the one thing that he knew would prevent it. Would drive away all of the anger from her body, force the headache from her brain and bring her back to him._

_**/EC/**_

He had kissed her.

Hard.

And just as he'd known, it had worked.

He could still remember the kiss now. She'd given into him immediately, increased the intensity of it, poured her anger out into it until all that had been left was desire. His entire body had trembled when her hands had glided up his chest, and he'd responded by pinning her harder against the sink.

She hadn't liked that, though, and had shoved him backwards; moving forwards with his body as their kiss had continued. And Eric remembered losing himself in her smell, in her touch as they'd both rid the other of their clothes. Then without a moment's hesitation he'd lifted her up and tumbled with her into the shower. The water had been hot, the kind of hot that was both painful and welcoming, but neither had paid much attention... he could still feel the coldness of the tiles as she'd backed him against them. '_She was always at her most demanding when she was coming down from an anger high,'_ Eric smiled; the vision continuing in his mind...

It was cut short, however, when the sound of a car's horn sliced through his thoughts. And Eric frowned when he realised that he'd somehow driven out of the hospital car park and was now sat in front of a set of traffic lights, lights which were now green. He glanced in his mirror and after catching sight of a line of traffic behind him, he hit the gas and continued his journey home.

He wasn't too far from it and a rough ten minutes later, he found himself pulling up outside her house. _Their_ house. He knew that there was probably a photograph for the day that he'd moved in, but he'd find it later. Right now, he still wasn't finished with this one.

But he wanted to get inside first, suddenly feeling a bit claustrophobic inside his Hummer. So he stepped out quickly - photo album in tow - and jogged gently up to the front of the house. His hands fiddled impatiently with his keys, and almost as soon as he'd opened the door he entered the house and shut it again. The bathroom was his first destination and he rested his hands on the sink for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. Well, more like thought; '_Calleigh...'_

He sighed and turned the cold tap on, temporarily placing the photo album down so that he could stick both hands underneath it and watch as the icy water traced the lines down his palms. He took the opportunity to splash his face and his skin reacted happily to the cool droplets. And a much needed feeling of refreshment washed over him as he did it again. Then reaching for a towel, and the photo album, he dabbed his face dry and headed into the bedroom. _Their_ bedroom.

The bed was still unmade from when he'd last been here... about four nights ago now. He hadn't left her side since. He'd had several arguments with the hospital staff about it, but even they hadn't been able to get rid of him. Eric smiled when he realised that Horatio must've been their secret weapon and he sighed as he curled up beneath the covers. Once he was suitably comfortable, he flipped through the book until he found the photograph he'd been looking at.

She'd left that shower a million miles from angry, he remembered. And their banter and teasing had returned.

_**/EC/**_

_Calleigh smiled to herself as she slipped her towel around her body. She took a moment to dry herself and then exited the bathroom. He followed suit and just as she'd pulled one of his old T-shirts over her head, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed the top of her head. _

_"Eric!" she laughed. "Haven't you had enough?" She felt him arch an eyebrow behind her and she rolled her eyes as she wriggled in his grasp to face him. And sure enough, there was the raised eyebrow. He grinned back at her, stealing a quick kiss, before he eventually pulled away and slipped on a pair of boxers. _

_"So, you're feeling better?" he teased, folding up his towel and dropping it onto the radiator. _

_She took in his smirk and despite herself, a small smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth. "I guess I am," Calleigh replied, throwing her own towel at him. "But, just so you know," she paused as she climbed into the bed, "that shower would've have worked just as well **without** you in it."_

_Eric laughed at that and after depositing her towel next to his, he slipped in beside her, rolling his body on top of hers. "Liar," he whispered, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her nose. She stared back at him and he smiled as he watched her lose herself to her thoughts. _

_"Where are you?" he murmured after a few moments, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair. _

_"I was just thinking..." she trailed off, biting her lip shyly as she considered what she was about to say. _

_"Mmm?" Eric prompted as he kissed her forehead. _

_"Nobody's ever kissed me the way you do."_

_He pulled back a little then and she watched as his mouth broke out into a smile. It was true, though, her mind reinforced. Eric just had a way of doing something to her; both physically and emotionally. But she couldn't put her finger on it... maybe it was that thing that he did with his tongue..._

_"Well, that's because I love you," she suddenly heard him say. And she smiled as he held her gaze. But she braced herself when she saw that playful glint form in the corner of his eye; "Even when you're a stubborn pain in the ass," he grinned, laughing as she pushed him off of her. He pulled her with him, though, and as their momentum subsided he found their positions had reversed; she was on top._

_"Don't make me get angry again," Calleigh warned, her mouth settling on a playful smile._

_"No," he whispered as he sat up, sliding her further into his lap. "We wouldn't want that now, would we..."_

_**/EC/**_

Yes. They'd had fun that night, Eric remembered. '_But then they always did.'_

A small yawn suddenly replaced the smile from his mouth and he buried himself deeper under the covers, trying to get them to fall around him in a way that would fill the void from not having Calleigh there with him. And he struggled to stay awake as he reached for the photo album and turned the page.

But the need for sleep was too great and as the next photograph was revealed to him, his body gave up the battle and his eyes closed; the new image settling in his mind, patiently waiting for the next memory to be unlocked...

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As always, I'll update ASAP.

Reviews very much appreciated. :D


	4. It's Clearest After Sunset

Sorry for the delay, guys. Blame **Adorelo**. I do :p.

Enjoy!

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**It's Clearest After Sunset...**

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Eric was dreaming. Dreaming of Calleigh. She was happy, laughing about something, and he smiled in his sleep as she approached and reached up to kiss him. But just as their lips were about to meet, he woke with a start.

Because Calleigh wasn't there.

She was in the hospital, sleeping away peacefully. Without him.

Sighing, Eric rubbed his eyes and held his head in his hands for a moment, trying to savour every last second of the dream that he'd just had. But just as dreams do, it had escaped him. Vanished.

As he sat up, his gaze fell to the open page of the photo album and he immediately reached for it. Eric grinned as the memory started to diffuse through his brain, his heartbreak temporarily taking a back-seat as the remembrance of past happiness seeped in.

It was a photograph of the night sky. Calleigh was only just in the photo, laughing happily at some random moment. He loved the way that she laughed. First, she broke into her trademark smile, her eyes got a little greener; a little wider. And then an infectious giggle would break through. '_It was impossible to stay serious when she did that,'_ he remembered. Even now, just thinking about it brought a smile to his mouth.

The day that the photo had been taken had been her birthday, and the department had thrown her a party that evening - much to his annoyance. He'd wanted to do something special for her; but ever the professional, Calleigh had graciously accepted the invitation... even if it was to her own party.

_**/EC/**_

_Eric sighed. He'd been stuck talking to a lab technician for a good - he paused to look at his watch - twelve minutes now. He didn't even know the man's name; he'd probably mentioned it at the start of the conversation, but Eric hadn't been listening. Still wasn't in fact. Instead, his sole attention was focused on Calleigh._

_She was talking animatedly with Natalia and some of the guys from her ballistics lab. And judging from that glint she had in her eyes, Eric was sure that she was trying to set the other CSI up with one of them. Natalia didn't seem to be complaining, though, he noted. Which was surprising; he'd have thought something like this was more up Valera's street..._

_"Eric, would you stop it?" Ryan's voice suddenly spoke to him._

_"Huh?" he replied, tugging his eyes away from Calleigh and frowning when he realised that the technician he'd been 'talking' to had vanished._

_"Having eye-sex with your other half over there," Ryan clarified. "You've scared Michael away."_

_"What?"_

_"You've been shooting Calleigh that look all night. You know, the kind that says, 'I can't wait until we're alone so I can - '"_

_"Yes, thank you, Wolfe," Eric cut in quickly. He'd be lying if he said that he hadn't been thinking about that, because she definitely looked stunning tonight. And judging by the looks she was getting - envy from the women, appreciative glances from the men - Eric was well aware that he was one lucky guy. Moments like this did wonders for his ego..._

_But tonight wasn't about him. It was about Calleigh. And there was something that he'd been wanting to do for her, but he was rapidly running out of time; in fact, he wasn't sure that it'd still be there._

_He glanced over to her again and smiled as he watched her laugh, feeling a slight pang of jealousy that he wasn't the one making her do that. And almost as if she sensed his thought her eyes found his, her green orbs dancing playfully. They continued to watch each other for a moment, both lost to thoughts of the other, and as Ryan began to speak again Eric walked away. _

_It was time to take action._

_His hands slipped around her from behind as he approached, and he pulled her gently against his chest. Calleigh melted into him instantly; everyone in the room knew that they were a couple and they didn't normally flaunt their relationship in front of their colleagues, but it was _**_her_**_ birthday party. She was free to do as she pleased... providing it was legal of course._

_"Hey," Eric whispered into her ear, his lips brushing lightly against the skin there. He felt her smile and she moved her hands down to her waist, settling over his. _

_"And I think that's our cue to leave," Natalia spoke, eyebrows raised. She tugged gently at the two men she'd been talking to Calleigh with, and led them over to the bar._

_"Having fun?" Eric asked as soon as they were alone. _

_"Mmm," she began, turning in his embrace to face him, "but I get the feeling that you're not?"_

_He laughed and slid his hands up from her waist, tracing gentle circles up her back. "I just hate sharing you," he told her simply, before leaning in and settling his lips over her ear once more. "Eres bella," he whispered, feeling her shiver at his words._

_Calleigh loved it when he said that, told her she was beautiful; whenever guys had told her that before, she'd just rolled her eyes and not thought anything of it. But with Eric, she found herself believing it... maybe it was because he always whispered it in Spanish - it just made it sound sexier somehow._

_"Cal?" he breathed against her hair, sending another shiver down her spine. _

_"Yeah?" she murmured, forcing her eyes to stay open; fixing them on an invisible point somewhere behind his right shoulder... if only they weren't in public..._

_"There's something that I want to show you," she heard Eric continue as his head swam back into view. "Do you think we could leave now?" he asked gently, eyes silently pleading with her, hands still caressing her back._

_"Eric, it would be - " She bit her lip as a hand wandered over her stomach. "Rude," she breathed. His movements continued, however, and she sighed, realising that if they didn't leave now, they'd be in serious danger of making love right here; in the middle of a public venue with their colleagues as the audience._

_And that wouldn't do at all... and if she was being picky, it probably **wasn't** legal. Even on her birthday._

_"Meet me outside in ten minutes, okay?" she eventually decided, finding his wandering hand and removing it firmly from her person. "I just need to say some goodbyes."_

_"Make some excuses?" Eric teased, releasing her from his grasp._

_She flashed him a dangerous smile and stepped closer to him again, her lips hovering milimeters from his. "I don't need to, Eric," she whispered. "It's _**_my_**_ party and I can do what I want to." Her lips strayed agonisingly close, before she moved backwards and set off to begin the polite routine of saying farewell to everyone. Or at least those who mattered..._

_**/EC/**_

She'd still managed to keep him waiting more than ten minutes, though, Eric remembered as he traced over the photograph. The memory still hadn't got to that part yet, the moment where he'd taken it, but he didn't want to rush it. He wanted to savour every moment he'd ever had with her, for fear of...

No. He wouldn't go there; _couldn't_ go there.

But unlike a dream, Eric often found that a memory stayed with him for longer. Sometimes forever. Especially if it was perfect enough. And even though he had a bullet in his brain, and still experienced some memory loss, he never forgot anything that he did with Calleigh. Each and every moment stayed stored in his mind; he could probably even categorise them, too. Because their relationship was solid and stable, trusting and warm, and comfortable as well as sexy, passionate and dramatic.

And without their romantic memories, he'd have nothing right now.

He smiled as this particular memory continued. Once she'd finally escaped the party he'd ushered her into the car; but instead of taking them home, he'd taken a detour...

_**/EC/**_

_Calleigh frowned when she clocked the road that Eric had just turned onto. It wasn't going to take them anywhere near their house. And she told him so. _

_"No, but I want to show you something, remember?" he grinned, keeping his eyes straight... something that he found incredibly hard to do when she was looking like that. She wriggled in her seat next to him as she sat up, and his smile widened when he felt her give him her questioning look. "It's a surprise," he laughed. _

_"Eric," she warned. "You know I don't do surprises." _

_"Mmm, I forgot you had a control complex," he quipped, making a turning to the right._

_She sighed and leant back into her seat, and it took her all of five seconds before she had to ask, "Could you at least tell me where we're going?"_

_"No. Location's not important," he mumbled, squinting ahead as he tried to remember which way to go. It had been such a long time since he'd last been here; he used to go with his father all the time when he was a kid. It was the best spot for things like this; well away from the glare of the City._

_"Well, could - "_

_"Calleigh, I love you sweetheart, but please shut up." He removed a hand from the steering wheel and found hers with it. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he continued, "I'm trying to concentrate."_

_She began to move in her seat again and Eric smiled, knowing that she was struggling with herself, hating that she didn't know where they were going or what they were doing. And he loved it, loved that he could take her control away like this. She wouldn't let just anyone, although she very rarely had a choice when it came to him; Eric had ways of making her do almost anything..._

_"Okay," he began as he pulled into a secluded parking space, "we're here."_

_Calleigh took a moment to survey her surroundings, and frowned as she soaked up the view. "It's a field, Eric." He simply laughed and hopped out of the car._

_Not wanting to be left out of the loop any longer, she followed him and watched as he popped open the trunk to reveal a blanket. Ignoring her questioning look, he grabbed it, shut the boot, and reached for her hand. Then without giving her any chance to protest, he tugged her to the front of the car and laid the blanket out, pulling her down with him once he'd done so._

_"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she asked, her tone a little annoyed; her glare was there, too._

_And Eric could already feel the corners of his mouth involuntarily turning up. "Just relax, Cal," he murmured softly, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair. But before she could reply, he laid himself flat on his back and tugged her into the same position. "Look to the West," he whispered, gesturing towards the night sky and using the Northern star to find said direction._

_She briefly considered telling him where to go, but her curiosity got the better of her and she begrudgingly followed his gaze. "What am I looking at?" she murmured after a few moments of squinting up at the twinkly, dark back-drop._

_He laughed and reached for her hand, silently tracing a shape of stars with it. "The constellation of Pisces. Your star sign." There was a pause, before he began to ramble nervously, "__I was worried that we wouldn't be able to see it; it's clearest after sunset. But the party - "_

_"Eric," Calleigh cut in, sitting up so that she could face him properly. She stopped then, realising that she actually had nothing to say. Eric Delko had done it; he'd rendered her speechless. She couldn't even muster an 'oh' or an 'ah'. Not even a squeak or a squeal. So instead, she simply reached for his hand and gave it a firm squeeze whilst she flashed him a smile. Still saying nothing, she settled herself back down and rested her head on his chest. And as his fingers began to play with her hair, she cast her gaze upwards and found her constellation once more. "Do you have a camera with you?" she suddenly found her voice._

_"Uh, yeah," Eric replied. "Why?"_

_"Do you think it will be able to capture that?" she paused, biting her lip shyly as she continued, "In case I can't ever find it again..."_

_Before she'd even finished her sentence, he was up and back at the car. She watched as he rummaged around in the back for a few moments before he eventually pulled out his camera. "Well, let's see." He laid himself down on the blanket again and pointed the camera towards the sky, whilst Calleigh sat herself up for him to use as a guide through the lens._

_"You found it?" she asked, keeping her arm pointed towards the stars._

_"Found it," she heard him confirm and she let her arm drop. She studied Eric as he got ready to take the photograph. His jaw was set, his brow furrowed - a look of pure concentration etched upon his face. And she began to laugh, noticing how serious he looked._

_"What?" he grinned as he adjusted the settings of the camera and clicked the button to take the picture, hoping that the stars were going to show up. And if not, well maybe one of the lab techs could blow it up and enhance it at work... _

_Calleigh shook her head. "Just you," she smiled as she laid back down and rested her head on his chest once more._

_**/EC/**_

They'd stayed like that for a long time, Eric remembered. There was something captivating about star-gazing; something poetic about the notion that the fairy lights went on for miles, shone from infinite distances... silently, slowly and beautifully burning their life away.

His heart tensed when he realised that in a way, Calleigh was doing that, too. Sure, he knew that she wasn't dying...

But she wasn't waking up either. Conscious Calleigh was silently slipping away from him. And all he knew was that he needed to be with her.

Now.

It was still dark, still night time, but Eric didn't care. He craved her presence, just wanted to be near her; to touch her; hold her; kiss her. But he needed to change first, realising that he'd been in the same clothes for four days now. So he did so quickly, and then reaching for the photo album, he left the house. He briefly wondered how much compassionate leave he had left as he approached his Hummer, and then frowned at the thought. How could anyone put a time stamp on grief? _Heartbreak?_

He sighed the question away as he buckled up and reached for the ignition, and then focused solely on getting to his destination.

And as the stars gazed down at him, Eric Delko drove himself back to the hospital. Back to Calleigh. And even if she didn't wake up when he got there, he'd have her there in front of him. Her and the photo album...

* * *

I'm not going to be able to update until the weekend I'm afraid. I've got exams all this week which only determine the rest of my future... but I won't abandon this fic. Promise.

Reviews very much appreciated :D

PS. For the picky amongst you - cough-Jodie-cough - it is possible to take photographs of stars. You need a short lens (50 mm f1.8), turn the apature wayyy up, fiddle with the PP for a bit and hope you get lucky. Oh, and you need a high-tech camera, like a crime scene one :P. But as it's EC, who needs luck? It's just romantic-ness.


	5. A Sight to Get Used to

As promised, a weekend update.

And this first scene was a request... so if anyone else has any, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. There are, however, a couple of my own that I want to do first. :P

Enjoy!

* * *

**A Sight to Get Used to...**

* * *

As Eric settled himself into the chair beside Calleigh's hospital bed, he wasn't sure as to whether he should feel relieved or angry that Horatio wasn't there. The man had promised to stay with her, promised to phone him should there be any change. But Eric was pretty sure that if the lieutenant were here right now, he'd have sent him straight back home immediately.

And that was precisely where Eric _didn't_ want to be.

He wanted to be here, with Calleigh.

So as he began to flip through the photo album, all thoughts of annoyance and wonderment about Horatio's absence were pushed aside. And he smiled when the page fell open at another photo of her. She was making breakfast, wearing only his discarded shirt from the night before and looking what he could only describe as breathtaking.

Or hot, if he allowed another part of his anatomy to think... which, if Eric remembered correctly, he had done at the time. But not just because of how she had looked that morning - or _every_ morning, in fact. No, that morning they had decided something, and it was a decision that had stayed with them even up until now.

_**/EC/**_

_Eric frowned when he awoke to an empty bed. He was used to Calleigh getting up early - being the infectious morning person that she was - but he wished that just once, she'd wake him up. As comfortable as he felt at her house, he couldn't help but feel a bit rude about using her bed without her in it. And besides, there were things that they could do..._

_So it was with that thought, that he quickly slipped himself from out of the covers and reached for his phone, checking for any messages as he made his way down the hallway._

_He found her in the kitchen and a lazy smile graced his lips as he took a moment to watch her. She had her body at an angle to him, and was rummaging around in her top cupboard, probably searching for some coffee, as her lightly tousled hair swayed a little in her movements. And Eric found his eyes travelling down her curves as her reach caused his shirt to hug her in all of the right places; but he raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of that coy little smile that was playing about her mouth. _

_She knew he was watching._

_Ignoring the realisation, however, he continued to watch in silence, his eyes soaking up the vision in front of him. He wasn't quite sure why, but for some reason, seeing her in his shirt made her seem so much more beautiful than she already was. Maybe because it reminded his ego that it was _**_his_**_ clothes she wore, **his** possession she borrowed... _**_his_**_ heart she loved. _

_And deciding that it was a view that he wanted to remember in case he found himself waking up in his apartment instead of here - at hers - he brought up the camera on his phone and held it up to her. Then through the screen, he waited patiently for her to turn her body towards him; it was the toast popping that presented him with the opportunity and as she reached for it he took the photo. _

_"What are you doing?" she asked, a little amused._

_Eric grinned and leant himself against the doorway, his eyes taking a moment to study his phone screen. "Do you have any idea how hot you are?" he countered with a question of his own, lifting his gaze to hers. _

_She merely laughed and set about buttering her toast. And after setting the knife down, she hopped onto the counter and began to eat. The cute-but-oh-so-coy smile returned when she felt Eric's eyes on her once more, but she chose to ignore him, deciding to tease him a little first..._

_Eric found his gaze drawn to her mouth as she took each little bite, as her tongue darted out every now and then - most likely a deliberate action on part - and it wasn't long before he found himself in front of her, his hands resting lightly on her thighs where they began to caress gently. He continued to stare at her, one hand moving up to her waist as he attempted to steal a bite of her toast. _

_"You still haven't told me why you took the photograph," she told him pointedly, holding said toast at arms length and out of his reach. "Eric!" She laughed as his hand left her waist to grab at her hand, bringing it to his mouth so he could take a bite. _

_And after doing so, he replied, "I just wanted to." She arched an eyebrow back at him, clearly a little puzzled, but he simply smiled and leaned in closer, his lips beginning to trace gentle kisses along her jaw whilst both hands settled on her thighs once more. "It's a sight I could get used to, one I'd like to see every morning," he whispered softly after placing a gentle kiss on her mouth._

_She said nothing for a moment, simply stared back at him - obviously lost to her thoughts. And deciding that thinking wasn't an option for him right now, Eric's mouth found her neck as his hands began to creep carefully upwards..._

_"Well, that could be arranged," he heard her murmur and he pulled back a little, a soft frown taking hold of his features. "I mean, a lot of your stuff is here anyway... and you are **always** here..." she rambled._

_"Are you asking me to move in?" Eric asked, needing her to clarify, watching as she placed her toast down.__ He shivered as her fingers began to unconsciously trace his chest, working their way along the lines of his muscles as she carefully considered her words. "Calleigh?" he breathed, attempting to prompt a response. _

_She smiled then and slipped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. "I think I am," she drawled into his ear, laughing as he restarted his assault on her neck. "Can I take that as a yes?" she teased, letting out a breathy moan when his lips found **that** spot..._

_**/EC/**_

Of course it had been a yes, Eric smiled. And he found himself mentally thanking God that she always woke up ridiculously early; they'd only just made it into work on time...

He sighed as he gazed down at the photograph, taking his time to savour 'Morning Calleigh'. It was a sight that he hadn't seen for a while now, and one that he missed greatly.

But a sleeping Calleigh was cute, too, he remembered as he glanced over at her; he just wished that she wasn't choosing to do so much of it right now.

It was kind of funny when he thought about it. Whenever they went to bed, he was always the last one to fall asleep; he was definitely an evening person. And it was those moments that he loved, the moments where she was still, peaceful and free of her inhibitions. Where she was just Calleigh. Now all he wanted was for her to wake up, to move, to just... _do something._

But still she did nothing.

And Eric's gaze fell once more to the photograph.

He'd spent ages looking at her that night, after he'd collected the rest of his stuff and officially moved in. It hadn't been without hassle, though. Shortly after they'd returned from work and he'd fetched his things over, the night shift had called and he'd been forced to cover for someone. So he'd come home to find her, unsurprisingly, already asleep, which was something that he certainly hadn't complained about at the time...

_**/EC/**_

_He smiled as he entered the bedroom to find her curled up and dreaming peacefully, and after undressing quickly to his boxers, he slipped in quietly beside her. He'd long since discovered that Calleigh Duquesne - independence personified - was a cuddler; so he wasn't surprised when she instinctively found her way over to the warmth of his body. He whispered a gentle kiss to her temple as she did so and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her in tighter. _

_And as he lay there with her head pressed to his chest, her body snuggled against his, one hand entwined with his... he just watched her. He watched as her chest moved up and down gently with each soft breath, and the way that her hair fell about in a beautiful frame around her face. And it wasn't long before he found himself reaching out to run his fingers through it, hearing her release a delicate sigh as he did so. _

_He found his touch drawn to the simplistic, gliding his fingertips along her cheek, down her right shoulder and along her forearm. As he traced over her wrist he found that he could feel her strong, yet gentle, beating pulse. And after placing a gentle kiss to it, he entwined their fingers once more and settled his head on hers, content to listen to the soft sound of her breathing as she continued to sleep._

_Or so he thought, anyway._

_For a few moments later, he heard her murmur, "Work okay?" She still had her eyes closed and for a second, Eric wondered if she had actually said anything; but when her eyelids began to flutter open and her arms slid around his waist, drawing her closer to his body, he felt certain that he hadn't imagined it._

_"Yeah," he answered softly, smiling as she adjusted her position around him. "Sorry I woke you."_

_"You didn't," she told him simply, settling her head on his chest once more as she traced a few lazy circles across his abdomen. "I always know when you're around," she whispered._

_He smiled then, and stilled her hand - forcing it flat against his stomach before he brought it up to his mouth and kissed it lightly. A small yawn escaped her as he let it drop again and she placed it over his chest, drawing one final circle over his skin before she lost herself to sleep once more. _

_And as she slept, he continued to gaze down at her, wondering just what the reason was for the soft smile that settled on her mouth as she dreamt the night away..._

_**/EC/**_

He wondered if she was dreaming now, wondered if she knew that he was here. And all of a sudden, he craved her contact, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she did too.

So without a second thought, he stood up and dropped the photo album into the chair before he made his way over to her bed. Then taking care not to disturb any of the various wires or tubes that were connected to her body, he laid himself down next to her and slipped his arms around her waist, hoping that she'd do the same.

She didn't, though.

And Eric sighed, taking a moment to close his eyes as despair began to creep in. He wasn't sure how much more he could take; he needed her to do something.

_Anything._

"Damn it, Calleigh," he suddenly breathed. "Please."

Still there was no response.

_Nothing._

He buried his face in her hair as the realisation sunk in, trying to fight away the tears that threatened to break through, and he hugged her tighter; determined that if she couldn't give him what he wanted, then perhaps his gesture would gift her, her own.

Because she had always been a cuddler.

And just as it always had done, perhaps his touch was all that was needed to wake her.

As he continued to breathe in the scent of her hair, Eric was oblivious to the figure that watched them through the glass in the hospital corridor. Horatio sighed as he fiddled with his glasses, indecision temporarily rendering him useless. He'd left Calleigh for fifteen minutes for a bathroom break and a decent cup of coffee, and, if he was honest, he wasn't surprised to find Eric back so soon. The sensible thing to do would be to send him home, of course. But he wasn't so sure that it would be as easy as it had been last time - not that it even been so then. And, for some reason, he felt sure that if Calleigh were to open her eyes for anyone, it would be Eric.

So as he placed his sunglasses over his eyes and turned to leave, he gave a gentle nod to a nearby nurse to inform her not to disturb his CSI's and then walked calmly out of the hospital.

And as Eric lost himself to an uneasy sleep, both he and Horatio missed the slight twitch that occurred in Calleigh's left, index finger.

The smallest of movements.

_Something._

* * *

My next exam isn't till Wednesday, so you can probably expect another update between now and then. And thanks to those of you for wishing me good luck, I think I may have needed it!

Don't hesitate to make any scene requests. As I said, I'll do my best to incorporate them.


	6. Hope is What Brings Forever

I'm so sorry for the delay. Life's got ridiculously busy and I've been hit hard by writer's block **again**. I must have sat down to write this chapter about ten times now, and everything I wrote sounded so unlike me.

But, I struggled through anyway. Although major thanks have to go to **lostladyknight** and **Adorelo** for dragging me out of this inspirational slump.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Hope is What Brings Forever...**

* * *

A small yawn escaped Eric as he woke, causing him to remove an arm from Calleigh's body to stifle it. And after doing so, his gaze immediately fell to the sleeping form beside him, searching for any sign of consciousness.

As always, however, there was none.

Slowly, he sat up and after placing a soft kiss to her mouth, he slipped himself off of the bed. As he stood, he took a moment to rub the sleep from his eyes before he wandered into the adjoining bathroom just off of Calleigh's hospital room. Once there he reached for the toothbrush he'd brought from the gift shop a couple of days ago now. And after brushing his teeth, he splashed his face with cold water, attempting to remove the last traces of sleep from his features.

As he left the bathroom, he spied the photo album that he'd left on the chair next to her bed last night. And he immediately reached for it and settled himself down into said chair, flipping open the pages until he found where he'd left off from.

Smiling down at the next photograph, he relaxed against the soft cushioning and took a few moments to study it. Both he and Calleigh were laughing, looking just past the camera at their source of amusement. They'd been invited to have dinner round his parent's house that night and, if he remembered correctly, Freddie and Christian - his two nephews - had been entertaining themselves with a pair of toy swords as the picture had been taken.

That had actually been the first time that Calleigh had met his family as his girlfriend. And he laughed as he recalled how nervous she'd been...

_**/EC/**_

_Calleigh sighed as she stared at her reflection in her bedroom mirror. She wanted the evening to go well, wanted to ensure that Pavel and Clorinda approved of her relationship with their son. Sure, they'd always been friendly and polite whenever she'd met them before, but... this was different. Huge even._

_And then there were his sisters to impress, not to mention his nieces and nephews... _

_"Calleigh, honey, we really have to leave now," Eric called out to her, slicing through her thoughts. He was sitting on the bed just behind her, patiently waiting for her to get ready - as usual. With a sigh, she met his gaze in the mirror. He had that boyish grin playing about his mouth, the teasing one that told her he knew exactly where her mind was right now. And sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed with his next sentence, "You have nothing to worry about." _

_ "I just - " she began, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to calm her nerves. "Your family is so close, so together, and mine... I'm just worried that - "_

_"You're worried you won't fit in?" Eric finished for her, a soft frown colouring his features. He stood up then and moved behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and resting his head on top of hers. "Calleigh, you couldn't not. My parents love you," he paused as he gently spun her round to face him. "It will be fine, I promise." Pressing a finger to her lips as she opened her mouth to speak, he told her firmly, "No more protesting. You look gorgeous, I love you, we're leaving." Then after stealing a quick kiss, he tugged her out of the room and effectively all the way to the car - "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own, Eric!"_

_As they pulled up outside the Delko home, he reached for her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "You ready?" he asked. _

_She flashed him a determined smile and gave a small nod. "Think so," she murmured softly as she climbed out of the car. _

_They'd just made it up the front steps when the door was flung open and Clorinda Delko surged forwards, enveloping her son in a hug. "Miejo!" she cried, finally releasing him. "I can't believe how long it's taken for you to bring Calleigh round!" Before either of them had a chance to answer, however, she threw herself at the woman in question and drew her in. "Welcome to the family, mieja. It's taken long enough!"_

_Temporarily rendered speechless, all Calleigh could do was laugh and she flashed a smile at Eric as he looked away shyly, bringing a hand to the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "Come on, come and meet the grandchildren," Clorinda insisted as she let Calleigh go. As she ushered them into the house, she caught sight of Eric's questioning glance and explained, "I told your sisters to bring them. Besides, it's only right that Calleigh here gets to meet the whole family."_

_"Clorinda!" a voice suddenly shouted from further inside the house. "The oven's making a strange beeping noise!"_

_"I told you not to touch anything, Pavel!" she roared back, leaving Calleigh alone with Eric in the hallway as she attended to whatever potential disaster his father had just created. _

_"Wow," Calleigh murmured, a little blown away at the intensity of his mother._

_"I'm so sorry," Eric breathed back, bringing his hands to his face._

_She simply laughed and took a step closer towards him, tugging his hands away and making them meet on the small of her back. "You shouldn't be," she told him, leaning up to place a soft kiss on his mouth. "You were right, I had nothing to be worried about."_

_"I'm always right," he whispered, pulling her in tighter against his body. He was just about to kiss her when a loud shout interrupted them and his two nephews stumbled into the hallway, thrusting at each other with their plastic, pirate swords._

_"Freddie! Christian!" a female voice scolded. "Stop it! You're going to break something. If you want to play, you go outside." She glanced up when she caught sight of her brother and his partner, and she shook her head in exasperation. "I don't know what you two are laughing about," she began pointedly; but before she could continue, a camera flash startled her and she turned to face her eight year old daughter._

_The young girl beamed and held up her camera. "Look, uncle Eric! Mama gave it to me for my birthday."_

_Eric smiled and stepped away from Calleigh, kneeling down in front of his niece so that he could peer at the digital display. "Wow, Sophia," he smiled up at her, "could you send me this when you get it developed?" She nodded and planted a wet kiss on his cheek before she skipped into a room on the left after her two brothers - who were still flailing wildly at one another._

_"Are you going to introduce us?" his sister enquired, gesturing between herself and Calleigh._

_He laughed and stood up, reaching out for Calleigh's hand so that he could tug her over to him. And after introducing her to Camille, his oldest sister, he led her into the living room to meet the rest of the family._

_**/EC/**_

As soon as they'd settled down on the sofa, Eric and Kieran - Camille's husband - had been coerced by Freddie and Christian into playing a game of soccer with them. And Eric smiled when remembered how much fun the evening had been.

Calleigh had fitted in perfectly, just as he'd known she would. And Tianna, his other sister, had taken him aside and told him how happy she was for him. Apparently it had been a long time since she'd seen him smile like that...

Marisol had always liked Calleigh, too, he remembered with a sigh. And his heart tensed when he realised that he couldn't go through losing yet another person that he loved.

"I need you, Cal," he whispered, glancing up from the photo album to look at her. "I miss you."

She didn't reply. Stayed silent. Unmoving.

And Eric pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing the sinking feeling of despair from his body. He refused to give up hope.

Because she _would_ wake up.

So with his new-found determination, he lowered his gaze back to the photograph and breathed out as the memory of what happened after they'd got back home that night seeped in. They'd gone to bed shortly afterwards, and he remembered how... _distant_ Calleigh had seemed. She'd tried to hide it, of course. Had smiled and recounted various conversations that she'd been involved in that night, told him how lovely his family was. But it had been clear that she was thinking about something, and it wasn't until he'd woken up in the middle of the night to find her not there next to him that he'd discovered just what...

_**/EC/**_

_He found her outside, on the front porch, just staring at the sleeping world. She'd snuggled herself under a blanket that she'd brought out and was lying comfortably across the swing sofa, sipping at a mug of coco._

_She looked up as he took a step towards her and instinctively lifted her legs so that he could sit down. He settled them back on his lap after he had done so and shot her a questioning look, watching as she bit her lip shyly and averted her gaze to the mug in her hands. He knew better than to push it, however, and instead occupied himself by trailing random patterns along her legs, patiently waiting for her to tell him what was going on._

_And sure enough, after a gentle sigh, she opened her mouth to speak. "Eric, do you ever..." she trailed off, taking a moment to think about what it was exactly that she was trying to say. "Do you ever think about us - the future?"_

_He said nothing for a moment, merely went back to tracing lines across her skin. "All the time," he murmured eventually, raising his eyes to hers. "I want everything with you, Calleigh." He held her gaze then, a little worried that she was going to withdraw, was going to clam up and shut him out. _

_She didn't, though. _

_Instead she placed her mug down and shifted her position, turning her body round so that she could place her head in his lap. Then after drawing the blanket back over her, she glanced up at him and flashed him a shy smile. "You know, Camille said something to me earlier."_

_"Oh?" he asked, raising his eyebrows a little. And he made a mental note to yell at his meddling sister later - she could have at least given him a heads up._

_"Yeah," Calleigh continued. "We were watching you playing soccer with Freddie and Christian and she uh," she paused, "she mentioned how you'd make a great father someday..." Eric smiled at that, and began to play with her hair, running his fingers through it as she murmured quietly, "She's right, you know. You will."_

_"Well," he began, lifting her up a little so that he could slide his legs under her, his head coming to rest against the arm of the swing chair. And as he pulled her back against his chest, he lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, "You'll make a great mother." He felt her smile, rather than saw it, and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as he did so._

_"I love you," she said softly, one of her hands travelling to her waist to entwine with his. _

_He sighed and nuzzled against the back of her neck, tracing his lips across it, before he replied, "I love you, too."_

_**/EC/**_

Eric smiled to himself as he remembered how they'd sat like that for a while. It had been so typical of Calleigh - to over-analyse the situation to the point where she'd closed off, only for everything to come out in so few words.

But then she rarely needed words with him. He instinctively understood her, knew every look she had, knew what her every gesture meant... knew _her._

And he had meant what he'd told her that night, that he wanted everything with her - effectively wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Still did.

And always would.

But the longer she stayed like this, the more that reality, that dream, fell away from him.

Calleigh's doctor had informed him that two to five weeks was the length that an average coma lasted for, and she'd been under for over a week now. He'd also been told that if he were to see a twitch or a jerk, it didn't necessarily mean anything. Apparently it was common for patients in comas to move, talk or perform other functions that might sometimes appear to be conscious acts, but in reality they weren't at all.

But so far, he hadn't seen any; because as far as he was aware, Calleigh had done none of those things.

She was lifeless.

And he hated it.

Refusing to give up hope, however, he stood up and sat himself back down on the edge of her bed. He took a few moments to watch her and as she slept, he found himself wishing that he could see her green eyes again. Even if just for a second, just to catch a glimpse of emerald...

Instead he saw nothing, only the peaceful, sleeping face of the woman that he loved.

So after leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead, he reached for the photo album and turned the page, desperately searching for the next romantic memory. One that would grant him a form of temporary escape.

And one that would remind him of the Calleigh that he was used to... the Calleigh that he wanted to spend the _rest_ of his _life_ with.

* * *

I forgot to mention that I'm hoping to update Sunday. There's an EC scene that I desperately want to write so hopefully I'll be able to type it up before the next wave of writer's block hits me.


	7. Never Say Never

I owe you all a massive apology for the length of time it has taken me to update this. Inspiration for it has been seriously lacking - guess I wasn't over the writer's block.

But, I'm hoping to get back into the routine of updating fast again. And so help me God I will!

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Never Say Never...**

* * *

Eric found himself smiling as he gazed upon the next photograph. He and Calleigh were in the centre of the picture, deep in conversation, and toasting marshmallows on a small fire in front of them - they hadn't even been aware of the camera.

It was actually one of his favourite memories, one that beautifully embodied the deep trust that she held in him, had been one of those moments where he'd learnt something new about her, and the kind that made him fall hopelessly in love with her all over again.

He'd known that she'd been struggling with something for a few days, and that she'd chosen to keep quiet about it. But he knew when to push and when to pull, when to probe and when to hold back.

He just knew _her_.

And his ability to read her hadn't failed him, yet.

**_/EC/_**

_She knew that he'd noticed something was bothering her, and Calleigh sighed as she stared into the empty coffee mug in her hands, hoping that it was somehow going to grant her the ability to ask Eric what she'd been meaning to for a couple of days now. It wasn't that she was scared; she was just... what, exactly?_

_Embarrassed._

_Yes, that was the word._

_It was silly, really, when she thought about it. Eric didn't care that her family was a little dysfunctional, was instead always supportive and understanding. But he'd never met her brothers, just her father. And only formally, as her colleague. But, Kenwall had insisted that she ask Eric, had even threatened to do it himself if she refused - there was no denying where she got her stubborn streak from. And she did want him there, would love for him to come, in fact. Getting time off was going to be difficult, though; especially for the both of them at the same time..._

_She stopped her trail of thought then, a small smile tugging at her mouth when she felt his eyes on her from the doorway. But before she could speak he beat her to it._

_"Wanna tell me what's going on inside that brain of yours?" Eric asked, entering the break room fully and sliding into a chair across the table from her._

_Calleigh laughed and met his gaze, noting his amused smile. "I suppose this is the part where you tell me that you can me read like a book?"_

_"No." He shook his head, and then arching an eyebrow he elaborated, "Better." She looked away then and set her mug down on the table, laying her palms out in front of her. "Cal?" he called, reaching out to give her hand a gentle squeeze as she found his eyes once more._

_"It's my dad," she began eventually, "and, no, I don't mean..." She trailed off, not needing to finish that sentence._

_Eric nodded, taking her hand fully in his; her father's drinking was no secret. "What about him?"_

_"Eric - " She hesitated, before thinking, 'Oh, to hell with it!' "Eric, how do you feel about camping?"_

_He couldn't help but laugh, and was forced to trap her leg between his when she made an attempt to kick at him under the table. "Why do you ask?" he eventually replied, realising that she was being deadly serious._

_"You know how every year I take a weekend off around this time? Well, it's to go camping back in Louisiana with my dad and my brothers. When my parents divorced it was something that we swore we'd do each summer... a way of ensuring that no matter what, wherever we all drifted to, we'd always have something to bring us back together again." She laughed and ran her free hand through her hair. "It sounds ridiculous, I know. But - "_

_"Calleigh," Eric cut in, releasing her leg and leaning forwards across the table, "it sounds great. Really."_

_She held his gaze as he told her, smiled at the way that he made her believe him. And that's when she knew that she didn't have to be embarrassed about asking. So joining their free hands together, she opened her mouth to speak. "Would you come with me?" she asked, before rambling, "providing Horatio can give you the time off... and providing that you want to come, of course, and - "_

_"I'd love to," he smiled, "but are you sure that it's okay with your dad?"_

_"Actually, he was the one who suggested it," she replied, rolling her eyes when Eric feigned shock. "Is it so hard to believe that he likes you?"_

_"Yes!" he shot back. "Calleigh, your father isn't supposed to like me."_

_"What? Eric, don't be ridiculous. Why not?"_

_"Because," he began with a grin, "I've stolen his only daughter away from him, become the new man in her life and corrupted her with sex and charm."_

_She laughed and rolled her eyes, aiming another kick under the table, nearly catching him off-guard. "Well - " She shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, my brothers will be there to hate you, instead." And then pulling her leg free, she stood up and moved to the sink to deposit her coffee mug; a small smile tugging at her mouth upon hearing Eric's reply as she left the room:_

_"Ah. Right."_

**_/EC/_**

He remembered being terrified at the time; he'd rather have had the over-protective father.

Contending with multiple brothers hadn't exactly been Eric's idea of fun. But, they'd been nice enough. Granted, they'd asked him a lot of questions - though he suspected that was mainly to embarrass Calleigh - perhaps been a little rougher than was really necessary during a game of football... pretty much threatened to kill him if he ever hurt their sister.

On the whole, however, Eric had felt that the weekend had gone pretty well.

Calleigh had enjoyed herself, too, he recalled. And it had been nice seeing her interact with her family, getting to be a part of a Duquesne tradition. It was one of the times in his life where he'd felt privileged, and it was something that he'd promised himself to cherish forever.

It was with that thought that a sigh escaped him as he looked up from the photograph and over to her sleeping form. Kenwall had popped by several times to see her since the accident, was in fact due to stop by later; her brothers had gone to pick up Calleigh's mother from Louisiana and were supposed to get here in the next couple of days. And, despite the circumstances, Eric found himself thinking that it would be nice to see them again.

After all, being surrounded by Calleigh's family was another link to her. Something else to hold onto, aside from the photo album.

And, remembering the item in his lap, he returned his gaze to the photograph, smiling as he recalled what they'd been talking about when it had been taken.

_**/EC/**_

_He studied her face as she held her marshmallow in the fire, watched as she smiled when it began to melt in the crackle of the flames. And he breathed deeply as the scent filled his nostrils._

_"It's one of my favourite smells," she murmured, hearing his inhalation. "Reminds me of this..." She gestured over to where her family were laughing, happily playing a game of poker by a small makeshift table._

_Never taking his eyes off her, Eric nodded, offering his silent understanding. Eventually, he reached for a roasting stick and placed his own marshmallow into the fire. "What's your best memory of being here?" he asked after a while._

_She was silent as she considered this, her eyes transfixed on the dancing flames, before she eventually replied, "The first time we ever came..." Her face broke into a smile as she recalled the memory and she recounted, "My brothers were skimming stones on the lake, and, as hard as I tried, I couldn't do it. Every time I threw a stone it sank immediately. By the end of the weekend I still couldn't do it, and as we were about to leave my dad told me that I could try again 'next time.' And I just... I remember thinking that there really would be a next time. That this camping thing wasn't just an empty promise; it was real." She dragged her eyes away from the fire, then, and turned to look at him._

_He held her gaze, completely in awe of the raw honesty she'd just displayed to him. But before he had a chance to say anything a camera flashed, causing them both to jump and turn around in search of it. Calleigh's father stood a few feet away from them, holding the offending item in his hand, a huge grin on his face. "Sorry!" he called to them. "Couldn't resist. Natural photographs are always the most telling, don't you think?" Then with a wink, he sat back down at the table and dealt a new house of cards. _

_Eric smiled and turned back to Calleigh as she dropped her now spent roasting stick. Then, after slipping his arm around her and pressing a kiss to forehead, he pulled back a little to ask, "Did you ever learn? To skim stones, I mean?"_

_She shook her head and laughed, "No, it's almost become a family joke. You know, it's actually one of the few things I've ever given up on. It's something I'll never be able to do."_

_"Well," he began, dropping his own marshmallow stick so he could reach for her hand and tug her up, "never say never." And before she had a chance to protest he led her over to the bank of the lake, where the water rippled calmly under the moonlight. Searching the ground for a flat, oval-shaped stone, he told her, "I'm going to teach you." Then, after having located an appropriate one, he handed it to her. "Okay, Bullet Girl: physics 101, when a bird takes flight, why does it angle its wings upwards?"_

_She looked back at him sceptically. "Eric, I - "_

_"Calleigh, honey, just answer the question."_

_She sighed and answered, "Because lift is provided due to the bird finding less resistance when it travels forwards at a slight upwards angle than it would travelling forwards at a downwards angle." She arched an eyebrow at him, a little curious as to where he was going with this._

_"Exactly, just like the primary cause of the 'bounce' is the angle at which the surface of the stone hits the water. The leading edge of the stone, after being thrown, must be angled upwards. If the angle of descent is too great, the momentum of the stone will overcome the surface tension and it will sink." He moved to stand behind her and took her throwing arm in his. Then, in slow motion, he manipulated it, demonstrating how she should release the stone. "You need to let go of it at the lowest, flattest point of your throw," he explained, showing her again the correct motion. "Wanna give it a try?" he asked after a fourth demonstration._

_She nodded and felt him step backwards, away from her, so that she could swing her arm freely. He called out a few words of encouragement and then with a sigh, she executed her throw. And as her stone bounced - once, twice, a third time - before sinking under the ripples she widened her eyes in shock. Sure, three bounces wasn't going to set a world record, but it was three bounces more than she'd ever done before. _

_And as Eric slipped his arms back around her and kissed the top of her head she whispered, "I actually did it!"_

_He laughed and spun her around to face him, placing a soft kiss on her mouth before he replied, "I told you: never say never."_

_**/EC/**_

And it was precisely that belief that was keeping him going, knowing that she wouldn't _never_ wake up.

Besides, it was merely a case of waiting for her to find her 'bounce'. Her metaphorical, angled lift that would bring her back to him. And she would come back to him. There was no doubt that she would.

Time was all that stood in the way.

"Just don't keep me waiting too much longer, okay?" he murmured, moving over to her bed to press a kiss to her forehead. But, as usual, he received no reply, and a small sigh escaped him. Because he knew that no matter the length of time - large or small - he still had a wait in store for him.

But he also knew that no matter how many 'bounces' it took for Calleigh to find her way back to consciousness, he'd still be here when she did.

_Always._

* * *

I'm not sure I actually like this chapter, but it's the first thing I've managed to write in forever, so... the only way is up, right?

Anyway, I'll update ASAP.


	8. A Word From The Wise

Okay, I suck, I know. My updating is not what it once was, and, for that, I apologise. I think I've finally worked out just what the hell I am doing with this fic, though, so maybe I can pick up the pace again. I hope, anyway. This chapter is a little different to the others, but I think it's necessary for the story to progress.

Special thanks have to go to **Adorelo**, who lets me complain at her enough so that I actually get things written. Have a squishy hug!

Edit: Changed a word. American English/UK English - how is it that we differ so much!

Enjoy.

* * *

**A Word From The Wise...**

* * *

The room was quiet, save from the occasional beep of her heart monitor, or the incessant ticking noise from the clock on the wall. And Eric continued to sit there, silent and still, watching for any sign that told him that Calleigh was waking up. On and on the seconds dragged; _tick... tock. Tick... tock. Tick... tock. Tick -_

"Eric?" a familiar voice called out from the doorway. "Has there, uh, been any change?"

Glancing up, his eyes connected with those of Calleigh's father, Kenwall Duquesne. Shaking his head, Eric answered quietly, "No. Nothing."

Kenwall nodded, his gaze falling briefly to the floor as he composed himself - _a gesture that was typical Calleigh_, Eric couldn't help but think to himself as he glanced back over to her bed. He waited until he heard the other man move further into the room before he spoke again. "I keep thinking that I see things, you know? Keep thinking that I can see her move..."

Her father remained silent, merely nodded again, and instead took the opportunity to reach for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and whispering, "Hey, Lambchop. Your mother's on her way." Then, turning to Eric, he forced a smile, adding, "Lord knows I could never sleep with the racket that woman makes. Maybe Calleigh'll think the same."

A small chuckle escaped Eric, the first in a long time, and he asked, "How are you holding up?"

He wasn't surprised when Kenwall answered, "A lot better than you, clearly," giving him a piercing stare that put even Calleigh to shame. Feeling a little self-conscious, Eric tightened his grip on the photo album, hugging it to his chest as he straightened in his chair - a movement that didn't go unnoticed. "What's that?" came the deep Southern voice, the same one Calleigh used when she was looking for a straight answer, and Eric couldn't help but smile.

"It's, uh - " He paused, not sure that he was ready to let someone else in on his private coping mechanism... but one look at Kenwall's face told him he better start talking. "It reminds me of her," he said simply, holding the album out to him, hating the loss he felt as soon as it left his hands. And he watched in silence as her father began to leaf through it.

Eventually, Kenwall shut the book. "How about we take a walk?" he asked, though Eric knew it wasn't a question. So, with a sigh, he stood, realising that he had no choice but to follow.

They moved out of her room and down the corridor in silence, Kenwall only breaking it when he led them out into a courtyard garden and gestured for Eric to sit down on the bench next to him. "I'm glad she has you," he murmured quietly, letting the comment linger for a moment before he continued with, "but you can't keep doing this to yourself. You need - "

"What I need is to be here, with her," Eric cut in, a little more sharply than he'd intended.

Kenwall ignored him, however, instead regarding him with a knowing smile. "When was the last time you shaved? Showered, even? You think the first thing my daughter wants to see when she wakes up is the state you've got yourself into?"

Eric looked away, then, knowing the man was right. But he wasn't ready to leave her, not yet, anyway. He returned his gaze when he heard the sound of pages being turned, and he raised an eyebrow when he realised Kenwall was searching through the photo album. "What are you - " His question died from his lips when her father held up the book, pointing to a photograph that Eric had almost forgotten about, to a photograph he wasn't even aware had been in there.

And he knew _exactly_ where Kenwall was going with it.

The man must have sensed it, too, for he said nothing, instead laid the photo album flat on the bench and stood up. Placing a hand on Eric's shoulder, he then told him, "I'm going to sit with her for a little while." And without waiting for a response, he walked back into the hospital.

Glancing down at the photograph Kenwall had highlighted, Eric sighed, shaking his head a little as he forced himself to remember. It had been taken before he and Calleigh became an item, shortly after he'd been shot and nearly... nearly died.

It was a picture of the two of them, captured by a nurse after a physio session; one that he'd passed with flying colours. The therapist had told him it was important to remember achievements like that, especially so soon after the incident, and so Calleigh had come up with the idea of taking a photograph to mark the event, to use as a visual aid in case things got tougher.

She'd been amazing during that time, he remembered; continually there for him. Even to the point of exhaustion.

**_/EC/_**

_He awoke in his hospital bed to find her beside him, curled up in the bedside chair and sleeping, a soft frown colouring her features as she lost herself to dreams. And he took a moment to watch her, thinking that he could get used to this. Although, hopefully, in a slightly different situation... one where she was actually in his bed, one where he could -_

_"Stop it," she murmured sleepily, opening an eye to mock-glare at him._

_"What?" he grinned, rolling over onto his side so he could get a better look at her._

_"Staring at me," she yawned. "Anyway, you should be sleeping. You need rest; it's been a long day."_

_He held her gaze for a moment, arched his eyebrow and told her, "I don't think I'm the one that needs sleep, Calleigh. You've been here what, nine hours now? I thought today was meant to be your day off."_

_"It was," she replied simply, looking down at the floor for a moment. "But I wanted to see how you were doing. The lab's, um, it's not the same without you."_

_"And you're still here because?" He tried to lace his question with a light tease, but he couldn't hide the hope in his eyes as he asked it. The hope that maybe... maybe she cared for him as more than just a concerned friend. She must have seen it, too, for she fell silent, hugging herself as a shiver ran through her. Feeling like he needed to say something, Eric began with, "Calleigh, I - "_

_"I miss you," she said quietly, pulling at a loose thread on her top._

_He sighed, rolling onto his back as her words began to digest. It wasn't a clear revelation of love, by any means, but it wasn't a definite no, either. So, deciding to play it safe, he said, "You're exhausted, Calleigh. You need to go home; get some sleep." When she made a noise to protest, he cut her off with, "No, you're not sleeping here. You stay in that chair all night and you're gonna wake up with a cricked neck. Now, be gone with you."_

_She made no attempt to move, however, and he rolled his eyes, hating that she had to be so stubborn all the time. "I'm not going anywhere," he told her, "you can stop by tomorrow, after work."_

_"I'm just..." She paused, clearly considering her words. "Eric, I was really scared when - "_

_"I know," he breathed, turning back over to face her, holding her gaze with his most sincere one. "Come here," he whispered, holding out a hand. She hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity got the best of her and she moved out of the chair, slipping her fingers through his. Ignoring the tingling sensation at the contact, he slid their joined hands up to his chest, settling them over his heart. "You feel that?" he asked, continuing when she nodded, "I'm okay."_

_A small smile broke through onto her features, and she waited a few seconds before she pulled her hand back. "You are," she said, though he got the feeling that it was more for her benefit than his._

_"Yeah," he smiled. "Now, would you go home? Please? I don't want you making yourself ill over me."_

_"Okay, okay," she laughed. "I'll call you tomorrow and see how you're doing," she told him as she reached for her bag, giving his hand a gentle squeeze as she turned to leave._

_"You better!" he called after her, stretching out his fingers as the warmth of her touch travelled through them__._

**_/EC/_**

It was something he did now - flex his hand - as he remembered how it felt.

How _she_ felt.

But he knew he couldn't go on like this, hopelessly dreaming their past and wallowing in his own self-pity. He'd refused to let Calleigh even spend the night in his hospital room, and he dreaded to think how many hours he'd been in hers for now.

He laughed when he realised that she'd call him a hypocrite when she woke up. And, deciding it was time to do something about that, he stretched his legs and stood up, making sure to pick up the photo album as he did so; he wasn't quite ready to let go of it, yet.

But after realisation comes acceptance, or so he'd often been told, anyway. And it was with a much lighter heart that he made his way back into the hospital, down the corridor and into her room.

Kenwall looked up as he entered, shot him a questioning glance and asked, "My work here done? Or are you going to be a mopey, pain in the ass for a little longer?"

Eric laughed at that, another realisation sinking in at the words. "H phoned you, didn't he?"

"Maybe," came the reply.

He nodded, a small smile tugging at his mouth. Then, moving over to Calleigh, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, telling her softly, "I'll be back, okay."

"Make sure you take that shower before you do," Kenwall warned him, holding a hand out for Eric to shake.

"I will," he said, returning the gesture. "And, uh, thanks... for everything."

"Don't mention it," Kenwall smiled. "You're practically family now." He waited until Eric had reached the door before he called, "I'll phone if there's any change!"

Making his way out and into the parking lot, Eric reached up to the side of his head and ran his fingers down the small scar that rested there, wincing as the memory of how it happened flashed through his brain. But then a new one took hold, reminding him of another moment he and Calleigh had shared. He tried to fight it at first, knowing that he needed to try and regain some control over his life.

But everything about her was magnetic.

And he found himself slipping within seconds; back to a time during the early stages of their romantic relationship, a time when they were still learning about one another.

_**/EC/**_

_As he made his way up her driveway, he checked his watch, hoping it wasn't too late for a spontaneous visit. He could see her lights were still on, though, and he decided he could always go back to his own house if she chose not to answer. Although, he hoped that wouldn't be the case. He'd barely seen her all day at the lab - she'd been snowed under - and, as silly as it sounded, he missed her._

_Deciding to just knock and see what happened, he rapped quietly against the wood, smiling when she appeared after a few moments. "You always answer the door like that?" he teased, raising his eyebrows at the single item of clothing she had on - one of his sweaters that he'd left the other day._

_"I keep my gun close..." she replied, flashing him a smile. "Besides," she told him, "I knew it was you."_

_"Oh?" he asked, taking a step forwards._

_"Yeah, I heard the sound of a car. Naturally, one gets curious about these things..."_

_"You peaked out the window?" he deduced, his body now inches away from hers. "How very CSI of you."_

_"I like to think so," she breathed, just before he kissed her, running her fingers along his forearms. "I've still got work to do," she murmured once he broke the contact. He simply nodded, stealing another kiss before he turned to go._

_Her voice stopped him._

_"Hey, um, sit with me a while?"_

_He smiled, moving back over to her and brushing his hand through her hair. "Always."_

_Having led him down the hallway and into the living room, she gestured over towards the couch and told him, "I'll be right back." And then she was gone, returning moments later with a stack of paperwork which she promptly deposited on the table, before settling herself beside him._

_"Tough day?" he asked, as she sat forward to begin sorting through the reports she had to sign off on._

_"Yeah," she sighed, arching an eyebrow over her shoulder when he began to trace lightly up her spine through the fabric of his sweater. "You know, you can help yourself to a drink or anything."_

_"I'm okay," he told her simply, starting to rub smooth circles now. He caught sight of a knowing smile, but she chose to say nothing more, instead reaching for a pen and crossing one leg under her as she began to scan over a sheet of paper._

_That was when he noticed it._

_The tiny scar that ran along the inside of her thigh. And he found himself wondering how he'd never noticed it before. "What's that from?" he asked quietly, causing her to look over at him, following his gaze to her leg._

_"Oh," she started, "it's nothing. My brothers were playing a game of frisbee; I got in the way." She glared at him when he began to laugh, swatted at his chest when he didn't stop. "It's not funny, Eric! Those things really hurt. They're lethal." She opened her mouth to speak again, but he cut her off with a kiss, effectively silencing her. He knew he was going to pay for it later - especially when she bit down on his bottom lip - but he didn't care, and as she parted her mouth with a sigh, he deepened the kiss; his tongue making slow, deliberate strokes against hers..._

**_/EC/_**

_She never did finish that paperwork_, Eric remembered with a smile. _At least not that night, anyway._ She'd been annoyed with him in the morning, actually refused to speak to him for a good few minutes, but he soon managed to bring her round; he always could.

But not like this. Not in his current state. Because Kenwall Duquesne was right.

_This_ needed to stop.

And it would, he hoped.

Climbing into his Hummer he took a moment to close his eyes, to force himself to focus on something that wasn't her. And he nearly succeeded, but he couldn't help the small thought that tugged at his mind, the one that told him he didn't know how long he could hold onto this new-found thread of... realisation.

And as he reached for the ignition, he knew that Calleigh needed to wake up soon.

_Very soon._

Because his sanity depended on it.


End file.
